Conquerors from Laodicea
Rev 3:14-22.
The Laodiceans. The church of the last days.
They are described as “lukewarm”, “to be spat out”.
They are delusional because they think they are doing great and totally oblivious to their actual situation.
Since I believe we are in the last days then this accusation is against me, personally. A difficult label to wear!
Jesus says to them (me):
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
The Message Bible describes those who do this as:
Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table. Rev 3:21 (emphases supplied)
Would you describe someone who BUYS money, clothing and healing as a conqueror?
Perhaps beneficiary or trader but not quite conqueror material.
So what exactly do I, as a Laodicean, need to conquer? Lukewarm-ness. Complacency. Our delusions of grandeur.
Recently I attended a bushfire readiness talk given by our local CFA. We were told that there were a few thousand who would reside in the bushfire management overlay but less than a couple hundred turn out to their talks each fire season. Perhaps we think we know it all, we aren’t in real danger, we are adequately prepared. But fires are as unpredictable and irrational as the weather.
Just as the fire fighters urged me to get ready and be prepared, I am reminded to be active in my Christian pursuit.
To have the gold, faith will be tested by temptations and difficulties. The battle is against the world, its lures and false gods.
To put on the clothes I need to put on Christ –
“Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ’s life, the fulfilment of God’s original promise.”(Gal 3:27)
Just as Joshua was shown to be in rags in Zechariah 3, the battle is against the Accuser.
To be able to see, I need to acknowledge my ‘blindness’ and need for God’s truth. The battle is against my pride.
“The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!” Rev 3:19
